Dual-Tuner PVR Single Coax, Multiswitch

dom_donald · 17-04-2009

Hi, new to the forum!

Couldn't find an obvious search function but I am sure this has been asked many times before, so I appreciate your patience!

I have a satellite dish with 2 quad LNBs (for UK and German TV), with 8 coax cables going down to the cellar and into a multischalter (9-in, 5-out).

The 5 output coax cables are attached to a patch panel. The cables are distributed around the house from the patch panel (these cables are combined CAT5E and Coax) and each room has a socket.

I use the Homeway system (www.homeway.de) and so the sockets are special clever ones with interchangeable modules for radio, sat/tv (coax, I assume) , telephone and LAN (CAT5E I assume).

I currently have a single HD Sat receiver which i quite happily use to watch both German and UK TV.

I now want to buy a Freesat+ box from Humax which has a built-in HDD and dual-tuner so you can watch one channel and record another. This requires two inputs.

I understand it is possible to use the dual tuner capability with only a single coax cable , but how?

Dish -> Multiswitch -> Patch Panel -> Socket -> Receiver

much appreciated!

Dominic

**rolfw** · 17-04-2009

Hi Dominic, the search button is at the top of the forum in the menu bar and also at the top of every section.

To answer your question, you really need two feeds to make the unit work properly, it can work with a split cable, but only if you are watching a channel on the same polarity and band as the one you are recording.

There is a unit called a stacker/de-stacker, it stacks an extra feed on top of the original, then de-stacks them at the receiver end, but not sure how it would work for multisat viewing.

dom_donald · 17-04-2009

yes, I have seen threads relating to multiple receivers of a single satellite signal, but haven't seen anything concerning multiple LNBs/Multi-switch. I did find something about this stacker-de-stacker thing before but having read a few other posts i concluded that it perhaps wasn't that complicated.

When you say it can work "with a split cable", can you be more precise - I am new to this and don't understand all the jargon and techo-speak (although I am an engineer and have a technical brain, so I will most likely understand!)

But maybe it is?

BUt even if I can't get the two feeds, I presume I can still do chase-play and pause live TV with the Humax Foxsat-HDR box with a single feed?!

**Topper** · 17-04-2009

Originally Posted by dom_donald

When you say it can work "with a split cable", can you be more precise - I am new to this and don't understand all the jargon and techo-speak (although I am an engineer and have a technical brain, so I will most likely understand!)

But maybe it is?

BUt even if I can't get the two feeds, I presume I can still do chase-play and pause live TV with the Humax Foxsat-HDR box with a single feed?!

Hi Dom and welcome to the forum

Unfortunately many people think you can use a standard signal splitter to create the second feed, which under the scenario Rolf mentions above you can but if you suddenly decide to change channel on what you are watching whilst in the middle of recording, of course what you are recording will most likely change channel as well. You ideally need a twin lnb feed to the PVR stb so that they can be independant of each other.

As for the 2nd part of your question I suspect not but I am no expert on freesat units and they have not been out that long either, but I am sure someone will know

dom_donald · 17-04-2009

so are we saying that there needs to be two separate coax cables each with a feed from the multi-switch?

If so, I am doomed

**Topper** · 17-04-2009

I suspect you have quattro's there not quads there is a massive difference which is it?

dom_donald · 17-04-2009

yes, sorry, I have quattro LNBs (i.e. 4 outputs from each LNB for H/V etc) going into a multi-switch, with 5 outputs.

Does that make a big difference to the answer to my question?

**Robbo** · 17-04-2009

Theoretically the Stacker/destacker should work for multisat, as it must carry the 22kHz tones to each LNB so that the High and low bands can be selected. And since the multisat input multiswitches use Diseqc commands to switches satellites (using modulation of the 22kHz) it should work.

Just theoretical though, no practice.

**rolfw** · 17-04-2009

Might be worth checking to see if the Stacker/de-stacker passes DiSEqC commands.

dom_donald · 17-04-2009

From the information on the stacker-de-stacker, which maybe you can decipher for me:

Johansson Multi Band Converter 9640 KIT (Stacker-De-Stacker) 2x Satellite Signals Down 1 Single Cable
Stacker - De stacker Ref. 9640 KIT Description: Stacker - De stacker with power supply

Application(s): 1. Standard
• 1 Twin LNB via 1 existing cable to 1 two inputs receiver (PVR) or 2 single input receivers.
• 2 single LNB’s (ex. for Astra and Hotbird) via 1 cable to 2 single input receivers
(one receiver only Astra, the other receiver only Hotbird).

2. DiSEqC
• 2 Twin LNB’s with one Twin DiSEqC Switch (Johansson ref. 9920)
via one cable to 1 two inputs receiver (PVR) or 2 single input receivers.
You have then full band both polarisations from 2 satellites (ex. Astra and Hotbird)

3. SMATV (IRS)
• Stacker can be installed after the multi switch - 1 coax cable to the De stacker

For all these applications, Terrestrial signal can be combined on the same coax cable.

Advantage(s): 1. Upgrade your installation with a Twin (or quad) LNB
for a dual tuner input digital receiver with recorder (PVR).
• Record 1 program while watching another one.

2. No additional coax cable needed between dish and receiver.
• No need to replace the existing cable.

**Robbo** · 17-04-2009

Number 2 seems to cover it.

**rolfw** · 17-04-2009

Certainly appears that it would do the job, not sure how easy it is to set up DiseqC switching on the Humax, but shouldn't be too difficult.

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Dual-Tuner PVR Single Coax, Multiswitch This section is for discussion on domestic multi-receiver systems for distribution of both terrestrial and satellite signals. Multiswitch, diplexer, triplexer, earct bonding, smart Priority switch, signal splitter, SCART doubler, video sender, remote extender, etc.

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